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[Page 174]
By Israel Amir
Translated by Meir Bulman
Herrish built his home behind the synagogue. The house was constructed from bits of wood he had gathered for years. The home was his residence and wood workshop. The structure of the house was never completed and was also missing a floor. The family was large and poverty was even greater but Herrish was always content.
He was one of the best carpenters in town. Many learned the trade from him, for he who studied with Shlomo knew the job well. Herrish was never formally a member of any party, but Poale Zion[1] was close to his heart. His eight boys joined the Bund[2] and were devout members. There were those who said that the mother sided with the boys' party.
I recall a day in 1923 when Herrish came to me and told me his secret that he and two other men were planning to make aliyah on foot. One of the others was a Hassid from the Trisk shtibel[3], Yaakov Goistgaut, and another was Leibush Forer, a more progressive Jew from the neighboring town, Zholkeivka. Leibush's daughters were members of Gordonia[4] and he was likely influenced by them.
Three worlds had converged in this goal of aliyah on foot. I asked Herrish how he planned to make sure his family would be supported during his absence. He replied that his sons would work and they are trustworthy.
In the meantime, I went to kibbutz training. When I returned to town a few years later, my parents told me that the three indeed went on their dream journey. However, only one of them was successful in crossing the Austrian border. Herrish and the other person were stopped at the border and, after much trouble and torment, returned to Poland.
The failure had cost Herrish in health. As if that was not enough, the Hassidim and the Bund members widely mocked him. That did not deter him and he was determined to fulfil his dream of aliyah.
After I immigrated to Eretz Israel in 1939, I decided to find the one of the three who had succeeded, Leibush Forer. I searched intensely and found him and his family, whom he had succeeded in bringing to Haifa. Leibush, who had become an expert climber, was content with his lot.
That same year, the war erupted and with it came the Holocaust which destroyed, among others, all those beloved modest Jews who were the majority of Polish Jewry.
One bright day in 1948 I received a letter from the town's survivors in Germany. I found that Herrish was among them. He wrote me that two of his older sons survived as well and were with him in Germany. The boys were trying to convince him to immigrate to the United States but he was adamant to fulfill his dream and come to Israel. He wrote that he had obtained a small woodworking machine which he intended to bring with him to Israel.
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A year later, I received another letter from him. I found out that he had finally achieved his dream. He had arrived in Israel through Cypress and was now living in Beit Lid.
I visited him later and he retold the story to me with tears in his eyes. After he disregarded his sons' pleas to come with them to the United States and they arrived in the US, they proposed sending him to an old–age home. He had determined that he would not accept such an offer.
Although he was over the age of 50, he could still earn his living. I tried to convince him to come to our moshav[5], Alonim. I thought that such a good carpenter would be satisfied by living in Alonim. He almost agreed but in his next letter he wrote that he had met a woman in Beit Lid and they were relocating to Acre.
A year later I met him at the memorial ceremony for members of our town. I deduced from his words that he was well. Despite his age, he had a good reputation among carpenters and had work. I asked what his boys were writing. He replied, “They do not write because they are upset with me. But I do not regret it, I fulfilled my dream and am happy with that.”
Time left its mark. Herrish had been through many troubles. He never lived comfortably, even in his best years. Add to that the Holocaust and its consequences. He was able to enjoy only a small period of his life in his homeland for which he yearned. He passed away suddenly four years go.
Herrish the carpenter was a dear humble man. Through persistence, he somehow managed to fulfil his lifelong dream. May his memory be forever in the hearts of his town members in this generation and those to come.
Editor's Footnotes:
By Itamar Hopen
Translated by Meir Bulman
The first Hahalutz chapter of Turobin was founded in 1925/1926. During those years, a training division was founded by the pioneers of Lublin in the agricultural grounds of Novo–Dvor, between Turobin and Wysoki. The estate owner was a liberal man, unlike the rest of the regional estate owners who were members of the Endecja, a fascist anti–Semitic organization. The estate owner agreed to accept young Jewish men to work on his land. The halutzim from the training unit often came to town to purchase groceries and pick up packages. Those men were among the best Lublin youths and made a good impression on the residents of Turobin.
About a year later, the unit dispersed. Some of the members made aliyah and some traveled to other places. The Hahalutz chapter in Turobin increasingly weakened and there were many reasons for it. 1929 was the year of riots in Eretz Israel and the massacres in the Hebron Yeshiva. The massacres angered Jewish youth of Poland. Most youth were willing to enlist and help their attacked brethren. If it were realistic, thousands of young people would have traveled to Eretz Israel with a deep desire to build and fight. Following those events, the Hahalutz chapter of Turobin was reassembled and a branch of Hahalutz Hatzair was also founded.
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There were 70 members of Hakhalutz and the same number in Hakhalutz Hatzair. There was some rotation of members as some went to training or aliyah. There was a time that Hakhalutz Hatzair numbered close to 100 members. The two organizations were practically one camp with a joint working plan, one building, etc. Much activity developed in those branches in both the organizational and educational fields.
Hakhalutz Hatzair members were divided into groups based on age and had a counselor for each group. There were courses in Hebrew language and geography of Israel. There were lectures on life in Eretz Israel, geography, workers' organizations in Israel, and the social structure of settling in Israel. In 1930, 5 members were set for training for the Shahrya group and others. In 1931, 13 members went for training in various places such as the Borokhov Kibbutz, Grokhov, Levendn (?) and more. Two members went for seasonal agricultural training at Kibbutz Magshimim on Count Potocki's estate near Wysokis–Litovsk.
At this opportunity I would like to note an interesting event I was part of. Yisrael Oberweiss and I were among those who went for agricultural training. The dates on the mission letters we had received were close, but Yisrael's departure date was sooner than mine. Yisrael was an only child and opposition to his departure from home was expected. Therefore, everything was planned and kept secret. In the wee hours of the night, we rented a coach and accompanied Israel to Żółkiewka and from there he continued by train.
Upon returning to Turobin with Yaakov Mitzner, the other member who accompanied Yisrael, we met Israel's father R' Isaac who meanwhile learned of the tragedy that befell him. When R' Isaac met me, he pointed his heavy cane at me and asked, “Where did you send my son?
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| Hahalutz Organization of Turobin 19 5/([?])33 |
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You have murdered me!” I saw that he was beside himself and instead of trying to explain, I instinctively escaped. Until I departed for training, I dared not pass on the street near his home. That was one of many similar events that took place during the pioneering activities in town.
As previously noted in this book, most of the town's population was religious–Hassidic. For that reason, many members kept their affiliation with the pioneer and Zionist movement a secret. That made it complicated to recruit members and maintain financial institutions such as the Aliyah fund, the Hakhshara[2] fund, etc. There were also difficulties in raising money for the national funds which Hakhalutz members were most involved with.
Despite all the obstacles to Hakhalutz, it improved, conquered the hearts of most of the town's youth and became a force within the Jewish community of the town. Most of the activities – Zionist congress evenings, invited lecturers, messengers, and other gatherings – contributed to an appreciation of the pioneering spirit. There were other contributing factors to the path chosen by Hakhautz; these included the anti–Semitism which was present in all aspect of Jewish life and the explicit discrimination of Poles against Jews. Those led the Jewish youth to consider where to turn and what to do. Such objective conditions brought the Jewish youth to the clear understanding that we were a people lacking a territory. Education to turn oneself into a productive person and creating power in the Jewish homeland followed that spirit and path.
Such matters were the central focus of the members. Athletics were among the other activities. Under the guidance of Areyeh Goldfarb, who was very active in the branch of Hahalutz, they organized sports outings to the forests outside of town. Every Shabbat, members rose early and organized units to walk to the forest. After hours of exercise and playing football, the members conversed about politics and organizational matters. In the hours before noon, the pioneering camp returned to town. According to guidelines, members organized in units and marched through the streets of town. They sang in Hebrew and Yiddish as the residents exited their homes and watched them marching.
The Hahalutz branch of Turobin was considered one of the biggest and most organized in the area. In 1932 there were already 20 members in training units and several members waited in line for Aliyah. Comrade Yerachmiel Frieberg made aliyah that year as did comrade Boymfeld. All that contributed to the pioneering spirit in town.
That same year, a regional conference was held in Turobin. The event at the gathering was very valuable and widely attended. There were some inconsistencies among the headquarters and the chapters and the date for the conference was twice postponed. At the height of the conference, a negative factor darkened the spirits of those attending. It was a year when Aliyah stopped, a year after the issuing of the Passfield[3] White Paper. Many in attendance at the conference were waiting in line for aliyah and, without explanation by headquarters, the conference was postponed twice. Finally, Hakalutz headquarters found someone to represent them, comrade Feivel Ben–Dori, envoy of the Workers Organization.
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The conference was supposed to take place in Lublin but for some unknown reason, Hakhalutz leadership approached our chapter and asked if we were willing to host the conference in our town. 250 members participated; they represented 32 chapters. The conference took place in the new firehouse theater over two days. After Ben–Dori's speech, debates took place and decisions were made. “To open wide the gates to the Land,” and “train the youth for labor,” were the two most important decisions drafted by the presiding committee.
After that conference, comrade Goldfarb decided on aliyah. Hahalutz headquarters granted our chapter's request for a certificate. The conference brought about a change of attitude of the observant, many of whom wanted to know what was decided. Not long passed before religious Jews began purchasing certificates as shochetim[4] and rabbis. Some of them immigrated to Eretz Israel with their families, including R' Yosef Corndrexler and R' Zvi Kopf.
If anything deserves credit for the existence of the Turobin community in Israel, it is the activities of Hahalutz. Through Hahalutz, 25 members made aliyah legally or illegally. Among them were those who arrived by other means and were members of Hahalutz. The number of members reached 45. Among them are 7 in various kibbutzim and two in agricultural settlements.
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From the right: Yaakov Friedler, Yechiel Friedler, Israel Oberweiss, Zeev Geier Second row: Moshe Gutwertz, Yehoshua Hopen |
Editor's Footnotes:
By Israel Amir
Translated by Meir Bulman
The Hahalutz movement was founded as a life force for the local youth. Otherwise, the youth would have progressively deteriorated. All forms of existing organization no longer fit the times, as new winds began to blow in the Jewish community including our town.
We could no longer make due with working for the Zionist funds, the Zionist Congress Shekel or ballroom dancing. Our mission was completely different: organize and train, through social and cultural work, youth who were healthy in body and mind, study the Hebrew language, and organize workshops to familiarize people with Socialist Zionism and the workers movement in Eretz Israel and worldwide. The goal was to maintain a strong and healthy chapter in which each member would be knowledgeable and would first work on self–development.
It cannot be said that we succeeded 100%. Still, we did succeed in our work despite the various obstacles. Turobin was not a progressive town like others in Poland such as Vohlyn, Polsia, Bilistok, and Vilna which had Hebrew schools and progressive communities. Turobin was under the firm control of Agudath Israel[1] and the sects of Gur, Trisk, and Alexander[2]. They objected to not only activities of the Hahalutz but even ordinary works in support of funds, which could therefore not be properly maintained. Everything related to Eretz Israel was dismissed and forbidden.
On the other side, the Bund and even Beitar[3] posed some obstacles. We still did not relent and worked diligently and faithfully because we knew what we were moving towards. The road ahead was rough but true and just. So we progressed until we formed a strong chapter. We attracted youths from all classes: children of craftsmen and merchants, Bund sympathizers, youths studying at the bet midrash[4], etc. We worked persistently until the Hassidic and Agudist town members learned to recognize us as people who knew where to lead the local youth. Our aim was to change everything. We succeeded.
Our members' mentality, way of dressing, and behavior were different than that of other youth in town. Our members knew how to wisely respond to our detractors from all sides. That was our biggest accomplishment and the reward for our work. Parents and other folks began to understand their sons and daughters and realized they were doing right and good things.
Our members began going to training and some made aliyah. There were also failures. There were some who could not succeed in training. But we overcame the difficulties and obstacles.
The Hahalutz branch in Turobin continued on the path forward and changed the town. Hahalutz of Turobin caused a true revolution and became the strongest and liveliest branch in the region.
The headquarters in Warsaw allowed us to visit regional branches and organize them for a big conference
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in the Lublin district. The conference was well–organized. The days of the conference became celebratory, not just for Hahalutz members but for the whole Jewish population of Turobin. Everyone remembers the conference days and the happiness expressed by youth and the joyful town. On Friday, all day and before evening, convoys of pioneering youth from the entire region, hundreds of pioneers, arrived on foot, wagons, and bikes.
Even the gentiles knew the “Palestinists” were convening. It was probably unusual to see a large crowd planning emigration to Eretz Israel. They were not exactly sure what this whole fair in Turobin was about. The joy increased even more when it was announced that Feivish Bendori, a special envoy from Eretz Israel, had arrived especially for the conference. The impression of his presence was very strong and granted much respect to our branch. Even the flaw of Bendori arriving in town on Shabbat was not enough to spoil the spirits in town. It was apparent that Hahalutz was a very serious and desirable for local youth. The conference and the Zionist deliberations were dedicated to discussing the future of the Jewish youth, especially Hahalutz.
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| Hahalutz in Turobin |
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After the conference, regard for us changed considerably. Even town leaders asked us, “What did the envoy tell you about Eretz Israel? Can non–members also go on aliyah?” We reached a point that even parents we had not considered it came with their young children and asked to enroll them in Hahalutz. The victory was tremendous. The branch expanded and developed. We rented a larger hall and hired a Hebrew teacher. We organized additional classes in Hebrew and Israeli history.
Hahalutz became a point of light in the darkness and a warm home to hundreds of youths. There was a rotation as some members made Aliyah and new and younger members joined. Younger members were active.
I was among the last who made Aliyah. In 1939, I met the remaining members who envied me. Of course, I spoke to them and attempted to encourage them but there was negativity in the air which we all sensed.
Some went to summer training camps and none considered they would not return to continue their blessed activities for and among the youth. No person among us knew what awaited us or anticipated such a quick and soon tragedy. The Holocaust descended on our nation. The Nazi German monster brought destruction to the Jewish people. We will remember the young men and women who were not fortunate to be with us in our homeland and taste the joy of becoming a free Hebrew man in his land.
Editor's Footnotes:
By Yehoshua Ben–Ari
Translated by Meir Bulman
It can be said that Hamizrachi was the first local Zionist organization. I was the halutz who led the way for the Zionist movements to follow and who created a bright multicolored tapestry of Zionism ideals, organizations, and action.
It was founded after the end of WWI. The yearning and dreams for Zion were instilled within the residents for many generations. The desire to “renew our days as in the past” was deeply rooted in consciousness, to the point it did not really require motivation from the Zionist movement. Such organic Zionism, or “love of Zion,” was taught to all since childhood, beginning in elementary education and continuing into old age. Each resident continued to study the texts, pray three times a day, and find solace in the history of Jewish national self–determination, a kingdom rich with awe and bravery, and prophets fighting for moral justice. Still, it was thought the yearning for Zion was enough and a visionary of Herzl's kind was not needed. Of course, the deeply rooted and organic yearning for Zion was joined by the pressure stemming from the dire circumstances which affected
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Jews in Polish exile and their hearts cried for redemption.
But the opposite was true. The organized Zionist movement came to practically achieve the wishes of many generations. It proposed a solution and a way out from the degrading state of exile. That movement did not find an ally among most of the town Jews who were devoted to tradition and innocently believed that such an activity is the role of the messiah whom “even if he stalls, he will arrive.” They did not recognize the messiah as a movement and idea which must be intensively worked on. Additionally, there were non–believers among the leaders and members of the movement. With such a history, it is no wonder that, until that time, in town there was yet to be any Zionist organization. That changed when the diligent activist Avraham Boymfeld arrived.
In one of the issues of Hamizrachi published in Warsaw (Issue 41, Tishrei 7, 5680), we find a short notice: “At the effort of Mr. Boymfeld of Krashnik, Hamizrachi Union was founded in Turobin (Lublin region) and a council was elected and various committees were chosen.” Who was that Mr. Boymfeld? Why did he leave his birth town and settle in Turobin? I do not know the details. What I do remember are his many actions in public matters. He was an observant Jews but progressive in his views. He owned a grocery store but could be found there only rarely. Activism was in his blood. He took part in every matter concerning the public. He was a member of the community council and served, among other notables, as a representative on the town council. In the big dispute between the chief town rabbi and the sects of Gur, Alexander, Trisk and others, he sided with Rabbi Weissbrod. By the way, the father of that rabbi, as is told elsewhere in this book, was the former chief rabbi who became a Hassidic rebbe and settled in Krashnik. For some reason, local Hassidim did not recognize him as a rebbe (“no man is a prophet in his hometown”) nor recognize his son as a rabbi and the dispute was great and persistent. It is possible that Boymfeld had some connection with the Rebbe from his time in Krashnik.
Only a man of Boymfeld's character could achieve such a turning point and found a Zionist movement in the town at the time.
The post–war period was a low point. The war had caused much ongoing suffering and left many injured and impoverished. It is possible that, too, contributed to a change in the conservative mindset, causing the founding of the organization.
Credit is given to the Hamizrachi movement for making the Keren Kayemet[2] and Keren Hayesod[3] boxes a fixture in many homes. Despite their poverty, the Jews of Turobin were very generous and contributed to every constructive cause. I do not know what became of that movement since I left the town at age 13. I studied for several years in Radom and Warsaw, and returned home at 17. I could not find my place there, and it was clear to me here was no point in remaining in exile. It was also clear to me that the only place I would consider is Eretz Israel, but how does one reach it? Thus, the idea of founding
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a branch of Hapoel Hamizrachi. In a town such as ours there were no shortcuts. One does not jump from one extreme position to another. There were already pioneering movements in town but they were secular and I would not at all consider joining one of them. I therefore gathered my strength and enlisted the help of a few bet midrash attendees. They trusted me for, in their eyes, I was considered a worldly person and must know what should be done. We founded the local chapter and the accompanying items.
Turmoil in town was great. Among the Hassidim and the scholars of the bet midrash, my move was seen as an attempt to remove good men from the righteous path. Among those who assisted me, I fondly remember Baruch Katz, son from a local noble traditional family. All the members of his household were “infected” by the Zionist bug. The eldest son, Lemel of blessed memory was extreme, the leader of Beitar in town. Mr. Dov Zuntag who is with us now also assisted with the formation of that revolution.
A while later, I went for kibbutz training for three years. In 1935 I was fortunate to receive an emigration permit. I heard that during my absence the branch's activities were somewhat weakened but the members were loyal and dreamed of reaching Israel. When I arrived here I constantly received letters full of longing and anxiety from my friends, especially from Baruch Katz, peace be upon him.
The Holocaust which occurred a while later ended everything and “solved the Jewish problem” in that town.
I often think that if a Jew like Mr. Boymfeld would have arrived in our town 50 years earlier, Hitler would have had nothing to do in our town as most of the residents would have come here to safety.
Editor's Footnotes:
By Yosef Kopf
Translated by Meir Bulman
Among the various movements in Turobin was also the Revisionist movement which occupied an important role in town. The movement served as an attraction point for youth who wanted to be educated in a Zionist Jewish environment and be among friends. It found supporters in Turobin and began to sound its voice boldly through Zionist activism and during the dispute among various Zionist sects.
As I recall, the Revisionist movement began to develop in 1930. The formation began in the general Pioneering–Zionist movement hosted by Moshe the tailor. A while later, the movement rented its own place from Hershel Lichtman. The administrators of the organization were Lemmel Katz, Yaakov Yaakovzon, Simcha Eidleman, Moshe Greenberg, and Chava Freiberg. The number of members in the movement reached 60 to 70. There were four members in training: Aharon Gewertz, Mordechai Pearlman, Yosef Lerrer, and Shmuel Royzner.
Activities were widespread and included establishing training grounds for Revisionist pioneers. It was in the Zhavno village, 3 km from town. The training spot included 32 members.
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The point (training point) received the aid of Mr. Pesach Diamand, the forest merchant[?].
There was cooperation between the training point and the branch in Turobin. There were classes teaching Hebrew, general and Jewish culture, chronicles of Zionism, Bible, military–style training, education, and lectures on various topics. The youth absorbed ideals of liberation which were expressed in song and hora dancing and the like.
The main goal for all members was to immigrate, legally or illegally, to Eretz Israel. All wished to liberate the land from the rule of the British mandate. As is known, the movement opposed the politics of obtaining a certificate.
At this occasion I recall that when there were evenings devoted to the remembrance of Dr. Herzl and Trumpeldor[1], 12–year–old girl Leah'che Friedler appeared and bravely declared: “With blood and fire, Judea fell and with blood and fire Judea will rise.”
I find it appropriate to record some events of members at the training point. To go through training, members had to bear the financial burden and contribute to the best of their abilities. It was a large and complex task to get the training point on our own. Especially noteworthy are members of the Diamond family: Pesach, Shlomo, and Muttel, who helped a lot. However, unfortunately we were unable to maintain the promising training point.
I recall that my mother baked bread every day for the members at the training grounds and supplied clothes. Once two members had severe angina and stayed with us. My mother treated them until they made a full recovery.
By the way, all my brothers and sisters were members of the Revisionist Movement to the point that my mother also automatically belonged to it. For her care and her devotion to the movement, it was said in town that “Chaya Fishlova is Jabotinsky's[2] grandmother.”
The Revisionist movement continued until the start of WWII in 1939.
The satanic murderous Hitler agents stormed Turobin and cruelly destroyed everything, including the once lively and glorious youth. Among all of my friends in the movement, I was the only one to survive. Fate determined that only one would remain so he could commemorate members of the movement in the memorial book written by remnants of the community.
Those beloved and delightful people were committed with heart and soul to the ideal of resurrection and rebuilding the land. It is very unfortunate that they could not make aliyah and participate in redeeming the land. Their spirits are with us here in the resurrected Israel. At every opportunity, we will remember those who worked alongside us for the life of the nation and the land in Zion, the land of our Ancestors. It seems that they are always here with us and working alongside us here, too. Bless their memory.
Editor's Footnotes:
By Itamar Hopen
Translated by Meir Bulman
In memory of Mendel Yudel's and Devorah Bergman
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| Mendel Bergman | Devorah Bergman |
The nation of Israel was destined to wander. The wandering chain continued since the forefathers of our nation. “And Abraham took Sarai and Lot, his nephew, and all of their belongings and came to the land of Kanaan.” “And Isaac went to Abimelech, king of the Philistines, to Gerar and God said to him, “Do not go to Egypt.'” “And Jacob raised his feet and went to the land of the ancients.” “Exodus.” “Return to Zion.” “Roman exile.” “The Spanish expulsions from Portugal, England, France.” And wandering during wars of nations.
WWI erupted at the end of July 1914. As is done in times of war, the warring parties occupied towns. Towns exchanged hands and more than once, residents were told to leave before the town was set on fire. That happened in Turobin. Before the Russians retreated, they ordered the Jewish population to leave And the town was set on fire. (The non–Jewish population was small and concentrated in the surrounding villages.) Some of the refugees wandered to other places in Poland while others wandered inward to Russia.
Among the refugees who wandered to Russia was the Bergman family, a household of 9. The patriarch Yehuda (Yiddel,) his son Mendel, his daughter–in–law Devorah (my paternal aunt,) and his grandchildren Chaya, Yaakov, Rachel, Gittel, Zipporah, and Esther. The eldest daughter, Chaya, was courted by Avraham Vechter, brother of Yitzchak Vechter. Avraham was drafted into the military as the war began. It was heartbreaking to witness the loving couple separate. Their goodbye was accompanied by a commitment to meet after the war and marry. I will return to the couple's story later. Anyway, Chaya, or as she was known, Chaya'leh, was the oldest and the rest of the children who were quite young were dependent in every aspect.
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Under those circumstances and the war conditions of the time, one can imagine the suffering of a Jewish family wandering a large country like Russia, on rough roads on foot or vehicle. The family wandered for years. I cannot tell of the storms, rain, and frost which the family encountered while wandering. What is a year or two among 2000 years? I can detail the suffering while they wandered. It was a sea of suffering. The stations on the way to Siberia were many. At one point they reached Troitsk and settled for a while and continued to Irkutsk, but there, too, they did not last long. During the Bolshevik Revolution, the Bergman family relocated to Harbin, Manchuria. After WWI, Harbin became a Jewish center. The population was comprised of Russians and Chinese. It had high schools and higher education. The Bergman family then decided to settle and cease wandering. The girls attended school and devoted some of their free time to work to help feed the family. Their family life began taking shape of normal human life.
As mentioned above, a pact was formed between Avraham Vechter and Chaya Bergman. Avraham was sent to the front, injured, and captured multiple times. Around 1918, he was released from captivity. His first move was towards Turobin to meet his sworn lover Chaya'leh. When he reached Turobin, he learned that the Bergmans had left and wandered to Russia and there was no chance they would return. After short inquiry, he learned the last known location of the Bergmans according to letters sent on the road to my father. Avraham followed in Chaya's footsteps. Wherever he went, he was told that the Bergman family had departed a short time ago, headed to “x” town. Avraham wandered from place to place in that time rife with tragedies. The country was in the midst of wars and revolutions, all–out–war and chaos of regime changes. He followed every stop until he reached Irkutsk on the Siberian border. He could not continue. There, he obtained the Bergmans' address in Harbin.
The border between Russia and Manchuria was sealed a week before Avraham reached Irkutsk. The authorities would not allow Avraham to cross the border on his way to Harbin. No matter how much he tried to prove with letters and pictures that he was to marry Chayaleh, he could not obtain a pass, even for the purpose of reentering Russia with his bride. A detailed correspondence between the lovers continued for many weeks, maybe months. After the authorities were willing to allow Chaya to cross the border to Russia, the Bergman family began considering that Chayaleh would part ways with the family and join her beloved Avraham.
Truthfully, it was difficult for Mendel, Devorah, and the rest of the Bergman family to decide about Chayaleh's departure. Chayaleh was very loved by her family and the discussion caused heartbreak for Chaya and her loving family. It became a full–fledged tragedy after the parents would not express an opinion about her betrothed. Thus, since Chayaleh was so connected to her family and was a woman of discipline, she would not leave the home until the family would express
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| Chaya, her husband Avraham Vechter and their three children |
a clear opinion. The reasons for Chaya's suffering could be easily understood. Her heart was torn. On one hand, she loved her family and on the other hand, she loved her dearly cherished Avraham. From the depths into which Chaya's tragic life was woven, one day she decided to read Avraham's letters to her parents.
The content of Avraham's letters can be imagined. He did not write them with a trained hand. He plainly described how he suffered in the war, the scars which would never fade, his deep desire to reunite with her in his lifetime, and that she was the only hope which gave him the strength to survive all the misfortunes. He described his dramatic search for her across Russia, the tortured troubles on his journey and how he reached the border with his beloved awaiting right out of his reach. He described his deep yearning to see her. He mentioned the pact they entered on the day he was drafted.
Avraham's letters were not written in simple ink, but ink mixed with tears. The paper and the words on it were sympathetic and generous. Avraham's pleas shook laws and borders. When Chaya finished reading Avraham's letters, the house fell silent. The family sighed deeply, their sadness mixed with joy. The verdict was according to the handshake agreement they entered. Chayaleh traveled to Irkutsk and married Avraham. The joy of their meeting and the wedding are indescribable and exceeded expectations. In the years that followed
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they had children and relocated to Samarkand and later Tashkent.
As their life headed down the right path, the family departed Harbin and headed to Shanghai, China. In Shanghai, the family probably decided to set roots. There must be a final destination. From Turobin to Harbin, from the Baltic Sea to the big ocean, to pass through such a journey must have been intensive. The names alone indicate it was quite lengthy. An expert wanderer knows that each movement necessitates careful planning, since such a journey needs a significant amount of time and labor. The Bergmans' journey is unimaginable in terms of suffering and the obstacles along the road.
Yaakov, Mendel, and Devorah Bergman's only so, immigrated to Canada and settled in Calgary, Alberta where he established a family. In 1950, right after his daughter Yehudit (Yuness) was married, he died of a heart attack. He was succeeded by his wife Sonia and his daughters. As bitter fate had it, his daughter Yehudit also passed away in 1963, leaving three children behind.
The second daughter, Rachel, married, and established a family in Manila, Philippines. In 1950 she arrived in Israel on aliyah with her young daughter Gila. Her two older children, Ziggy and Riesel, immigrated, too, and settled in the US. The young daughter, Gila, has a family in Israel and is a mother to a boy. Rachel did not find satisfaction during her life. A year and a half after Aliyah, luck did not smile on their families' integration. The spreading of her family all over the world caused her much pain. She could not bear her loneliness and absorption pains; in 1951 she died of a heart attack in Tiberias. Her husband in Manila died around the same time.
Mendel and Devorah had two more daughters. Zipporah (Fanyeh) and Gittel settled in Israel. Zipporah arrived on aliyah in 1963. Gittel arrived on aliyah in 1949 when China became communist and most of the Jews of Shanghai chose aliyah. Gittel was widowed before she left Shanghai and cared for two children. One was Eliazar and the other Zalman (Ziami). Both served in the Israeli Defense Force. Zalman received a medal among the 8 participants of the battle on the Nohelia, his picture is included [?]. Mendel and Devorah's youngest daughter, Esther, immigrated to the US and settled in Los Angeles.
That is the story of the Bergman family and their descendants. I do not know the date of patriarch Yidell's passing. All I know is that he was buried in Harbin. While the family stayed in Shanghai, Mendel was a well–known figure in the Jewish community and was considered an honest and honorable man. I think that for some time he also served as a gabbai[1] of a synagogue in Shanghai. I assume there were a number of synagogues and Yiddel probably served where they lived in the International Zone (the name of the place). The description of the wandering family teaches us that the sons have not returned to their land. From among the large family, only two daughters and their descendants reside in Israel (and Gila [?])
Bless the memory of the absent.
Editor's Footnote:
Translated by Meir Bulman
At the end of the 19th century, working class Jews in Czarist Russia began to awaken when they realized they were subjected to double torment as both laborers and Jews. The Bund arose and created a Jewish socialism with its own characteristics. In greater Russia, spirits were in turmoil and many shouted out for liberation and improvement of life conditions. The voice of Jacob, that of the Jewish proletariat, was heard as well. The appearance of the Bund made an impression on Jews as a liberation–seeking movement, the first which aimed to repair reality for Jews. Its aim of Jewish liberation within Russia and it dismissed the Zionism for Zionism rejected exile. The hope for a close redemption by the revolution attracted the masses to lend a hand to the Bund.
The Bund movement arrived in Turobin only after Russian forces left Poland. The late creation came after several years of uneasy hesitation by the initiators. In Turobin, there was no proletariat in the larger sense of the term. The workers for the most part were craftsmen (carpenters, tailors, cobblers, etc.) who employed apprentices. The craftsmen did not want to aid a revolutionary movement that would actually move against them as employers although they themselves lived under difficult social conditions. In contrast, their apprentices were attracted to the Bund after Poland was liberated and gained independence from the occupying Austrian military which they had (previously) placed their hopes in – in terms of fixing their situation and their lives.
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| From right to left top row: Yosef Pik, Moshe Wolf Tregger, Peretz Frank, Chaya Sarah Fleisher, Mordechai Elzon, Feigele Tregger, Abush Blotman Seated: Leah Geyer, Rachel Feldman, Chaim Leib Pik, Nacha Fleisher, Hershel Shtreicher |
[Page 190]
After the founding of the Bund in liberated Poland and the awakening of socialist activists, new horizons were opened for the movement in various fields. The Bund program incorporated other ideals such as Yiddish and culture which became the central focus. The Bund attracted many from the working class who saw the Bund as their home. The movement ascended to an influential position within the towns and cities of the country. In Turobin, Bund members were not engaged in large–scale activism although they did hold debates concerning unending tactical and pragmatic questions with members of other parties, e.g. the Zionists, the “S.S.” [?].
The Bund greatly sinned in its war against Zionism in the initial years of Polish exile. If not for that, it is possible that dozens more Jews, especially among the youth who innocently believed in the Bund and its “solution,” would have found their way to Zion.
Translated by Meir Bulman
After WWI (1914–1918), the Jewish youth of Poland strove to join and belong to youth movements following ideological party lines. Also, their will increased to gain knowledge and education. This time around, Jewish girls also began to attend to public and private schools en masse.
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| A Bais Yaakov Class Teacher: Rivka Zilberklang |
[Page 191]
In response to the trend, Orthodox groups also decided to create schools for religious girls. The aim was to deter them from joining secular youth movements and grant them traditional religious education. Thus, the push to form a chain of Bais Yaakov schools for girls.
One of the women who was very active in the educational movement of the Bais Yaakov school was Sarah Schenirer of Krakow. Much of the credit goes to that activist, known by students at the school as “Mother Schenirer.”
After difficult deliberation and with much financial difficulty, a Bais Yaakov branch also opened in Turobin. Despite the Jewish tradition of not teaching Torah to girls, in accordance with the argument “'teach them diligently to your sons and not to your daughters,” the institution was founded based on the passage, “It is time to act, God, for the law was voided[1]” [Psalm 119:126]. The organization constructed an important component in the town through the education of the younger generation in the spirit of tradition and Torah, which was their guiding light.
The name Bais Yaakov was designated by the creator and founder, Sarah Schenirer, who was familiar with the words of our sages, “‘Say thusly to the House of Jacob’ – refers to the women.” The girls who were educated at Bais Yaakov acquired knowledge of Torah, foundations of halakha[2], and traditional religious life. The education of those girls was productive; from their ranks later came devoted activists who participated in various activities, be it regarding contemporary matters or for Eretz Israel.
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| A Class of Jewish Students at the Polish Public School During a Jewish History Lesson with Mrs. Shapira |
[Page 192]
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From the left: Manis, Chaim Tregger, Gotwilling, Perez Fink, and another person |
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| Avraham Frumer and Family Workshop Avraham, His Son, and Two Apprentices |
Editor's Footnotes:
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